"We control pretty much every aspect of the plant from the environment to the temperature to the humidity to the nutrients in the water," Mike said.

It is a sophisticated system of pipes and tubes, tubs, fans, plugs and buds. When NBC4 visited the so-called pot farm, plants in the first room still had eight weeks until harvest time. An adjacent makeshift room houses plants even less mature.

"These are the babies," Mike said, referring to another 96 plants that have just begun to grow. "I love it. I could sit here and stare for 10 minutes at a time. It’s mesmerizing."

And it’s illegal. Even though Mike basically has the blessing of the state of California to provide this medical cannabis to dispensaries, what he does is still against federal law.

When asked if he’s scared about getting caught, he replied: "No, because it’s something I truly believe in and stand behind 100 percent."

But here’s where it gets a little foggy: In California, to be legal, collectives cannot make a profit. Mike said he has 40 employees he pays with proceeds. After expenses, he claims to bring in $5,000 a month for each of his seven grow houses.

That equals $420,000 a year.

"Yes, but it’s a salary," he said. "No profit; just like other non-profits get paid. I can’t speak for everyone but those who are making profit are the ones demonizing our industry, capitalizing on every opportunity."

Mike admits his landlord doesn’t know he’s an urban farmer. His latest round of "OG Kush" will yield some 150 pounds of marijuana, a value of $510,000 turning over every 10 weeks. Mike’s partners at dispensaries in the Southland then sell the OG Kush by 1/8 of an ounce – sometimes more – charging $40 to $60 each.

"My biggest concern is staying out of the way of the Feds," he said, "but I don’t see myself doing anything else."

Marijuana has been illegal on a federal level since 1937. California and a number of other states have allowed for its legal use when under the direction of a physician.

Voters in California approved Proposition 215, or the Compassion Use Act, in 1996, effectively legalizing marijuana for medical use.

On Nov. 6, Washington state and Colorado voted to make marijuana legal in all cases – recreational and otherwise. The U.S. Department of Justice released a statement saying it is looking into the new laws but did not comment on the State-versus-Feds facet of the states’ new laws.

Still, Mike doesn’t seem too concerned.

"If I’m really not supposed to be doing something," he said, "the universe will tell me."